I. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to interactive radio systems and in particular to interactive radio systems for use with broadcast radio.
II. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,303,393, 5,455,823 and 5,689,245 to Noreen et al. describe various interactive radio systems for use with broadcast radio. In one example, individual mobile interactive radio units are installed in motor vehicles or other locations for use by subscribers of the interactive radio system. Each mobile unit includes a radio broadcast receiver, such as a standard automobile radio, and a two-way wireless communication device, such as a satellite-based wireless telephone. Radio broadcasts received by the mobile unit are listened to by the subscriber, perhaps while driving the vehicle. The subscriber may respond to advertisements, solicitations, promotional segments or the like by entering commands through the mobile unit, which are transmitted by the wireless telephone to a network operations center. As one specific example, if the subscriber wishes to purchase a product advertised during a radio broadcast, the subscriber enters an order or purchase command into the mobile unit and the command is forwarded to the network operations center, which coordinates the purchase of the product on behalf of the subscriber. To this end, the broadcast signal may be encoded with sub-signals which identify the product offered for sale during the segment of the broadcast. The mobile unit extracts the product identification from the broadcast signal and generates a purchase command, which identifies the product being purchased along with the identity of the subscriber associated with the mobile unit. The network operations center maintains a credit card number or other purchase authorization information for the subscriber for completing the purchase. If the broadcast signal is a standard radio broadcast signal not encoded with sub-signals, the mobile unit determines the carrier frequency of the broadcast, the date and time of the broadcast, and the geographical location of the mobile unit and then transmits this information along with the purchase command and identity of the subscriber associated with the mobile unit to the network operations center. In response, the network operations center determines the identity of the broadcaster based upon the carrier frequency and the geographical location of the mobile unit, then accesses databases identifying particular program segments broadcast by the broadcaster at various dates and times. With this information, the network operations center determines the goods or services that the subscriber wishes to purchase and completes the purchase on behalf of the subscriber.
Although summarized with respect to an example involving the purchase of goods or services advertised during radio broadcasts, the interactive radio systems of the Noreen et al. patents provide a wide range of other interactive services as well. In other examples, the subscriber may respond to opinion polls solicited through radio broadcasts, or donate money to charities or political causes solicited through the radio broadcast. Additionally, the mobile interactive radio unit may be provided with a graphic display for providing information identifying particular songs broadcast over the radio or particular products advertised in radio broadcasts. In the example wherein the broadcasts are encoded with sub-signals identifying the particular product being offered for sale, the encoded information may be displayed on the graphic display for viewing by the subscriber while listening to the broadcast.
Thus, interactive radio is enabled using radio broadcasters, such as satellite radio broadcasters or conventional AM/FM or digital land-based radio broadcasters. Hence, the audio content need not be transmitted via cables, telephone lines, or other narrow-casting techniques. Moreover, because broadcast radio is employed, operators of the interactive radio system can reach potentially millions of subscribers, including subscribers at remote locations who may not have access to narrow-cast interactive systems such as cable-based systems. Moreover, those who possess only a conventional radio can receive radio broadcasts as normal. Those who possess one of the mobile interactive radio units and are subscribers to the interactive radio system receive the additional benefits provided by the interactive radio system. Hence, the radio broadcasters can reach both subscribers and non-subscribers to the mobile interactive radio system. Another advantage of the system is that the only signals that need to be transmitted from the mobile units to the network operations center are relatively infrequent subscriber command signals generated, for example, when the subscriber selects a product to purchase. Hence, very little bandwidth is required by the wireless communication system to communicate transmissions from the mobile unit to the network operations center.
Although the systems of the Noreen et al. patents have many advantages over non-broadcast-based interactive radio systems, such as cable-based radio systems or other narrow-cast radio systems, room for further improvement remains. For example, it would be desirable to provide an alternative method for providing text or graphic information to the subscriber which does not require that the text or graphic information be transmitted to the mobile unit and displayed on the mobile unit. By providing a method that does not require that the information be displayed on the mobile unit, the mobile unit thereby need not include a graphic display. By eliminating the need to provide a graphic display in the mobile unit, the mobile unit may be less expensive and perhaps less distracting to the subscriber, which is particularly advantageous if the mobile unit is mounted within a motor vehicle for use by the driver of the vehicle. Also, it would be desirable to provide an interactive radio system which is capable of providing vast amounts of text or graphic information to the subscriber pertaining to selected program segment without requiring that the information be be transmitted to the mobile unit via the two-way wireless communication device. Also, it would be desirable to provide an interactive radio system wherein the subscriber need not make immediate decisions while listening to the radio about whether to purchase goods or services, contribute to charities or the like. Rather, it would be desirable to permit the subscriber to select advertisements, songs, or other program segments of interest and then review information pertaining to those program segments at a later time.
It is to these and other ends that aspects of the present invention are primarily directed.
In accordance with the invention, an interactive broadcast system is provided for use with a mobile unit having a broadcast receiver for receiving broadcast transmissions from broadcasters or other broadcast program originators and a wireless transmitter for transmitting wireless signals to the system. The system includes a means for receiving a broadcast attribute signal transmitted from the mobile unit. The broadcast attribute signal identifies at least one attribute of a broadcast transmission selected by a user of the mobile unit. The system also includes means, responsive to receipt of the broadcast attribute signal, for providing information to the user associated with the mobile unit via the Internet. The information provided via the Internet is selected based upon the content of the broadcast transmission selected by the user.
In an exemplary embodiment, the broadcasts are radio broadcasts. The broadcast receiver is a radio, such as an AM/FM automobile radio or a mobile satellite radio. The wireless transmitter is a two-way wireless communication device, such as a satellite wireless communication device or a cellular telephone. The user of the mobile unit is a subscriber of the interactive radio system. The term subscriber, as used herein, refers to a subscriber of the interactive radio system, rather than a subscriber to a particular radio broadcast service, such as a satellite digital radio broadcast service. Depending upon the particular implementation, the individual user of a particular mobile unit may be both a subscriber to the interactive radio system and a subscriber to particular radio broadcast systems. The subscriber may be charged a fee for accessing the interactive radio system. Alternatively, the subscriber may be able to access the system without paying a fee. In still other implementations, users of the interactive radio system need not necessarily subscribe to the system. The broadcast attribute signal transmitted by the wireless communication device identifies the date and time of a program segment selected by the subscriber, the carrier frequency of the broadcast, and the geographical location of the radio as determined using a global positioning system (xe2x80x9cGPSxe2x80x9d) device or, in the case of a mobile unit using a cellular telephone, the geographical location of the cellular base station receiving the wireless transmission. The wireless communication device of the mobile unit also transmits a client identifier signal which identifies either the subscriber using the mobile unit or the mobile unit itself. If the signal identifies the mobile unit, the system accesses client information databases to determine the identity of the subscriber associated with the mobile unit. The system determines the identity of the broadcaster or other program originator based upon the carrier frequency and the geographical location of the mobile unit. Then, the system accesses a database of information provided by the broadcaster, which identifies the date and time of various program segments. From this information, the system identifies the particular program segment selected by the subscriber. The program segment may be an advertisement, charity solicitation, musical selection or the like. Once the program segment has been identified, the system provides information pertaining to the program segment to the subscriber within a web site accessible by a home or office computer of the subscriber or within e-mails transmitted directed to an email account of the subscriber.
In this manner, the subscriber can select various advertisements, musical selections or the like while listening to the radio, then access the Internet at a later time to review information pertaining to the various program segments that have been selected. For program segments that comprise musical selections, the information provided through the Internet identifies such things as the name of the song, the performer, and the compact disk (CD) or other compilation containing the song. Hyper links are provided within the web page or e-mail for linking the subscriber directly to web sites provided by the performer, record company or the like. The CD may be purchased directly through the web site. Alternatively, links are provided for permitting the CD to be purchased through other e-commerce web sites. Also, either the web site of the interactive radio system or other e-commerce sites permit the subscriber to generate and purchase a customized CD containing a group of songs that have been selected by the subscriber or permitting customized digital music files, such as MP3 files, to be generated containing songs that have been selected. For program segments containing advertisements, the information provided via the e-mail or web page identifies the advertiser and provides links directly to e-commerce web sites providing further information regarding the advertiser or its products and permitting immediate purchase of the products. As can be appreciated, a wealth of information may be provided to the subscriber via the Internet pertaining to broadcast radio segments selected by the subscriber.
One advantage of the Internet feedback system of the invention is that the subscriber need not necessarily make decisions immediately regarding purchase of goods or services while listening to the radio broadcast but may defer decisions until a later time. Alternatively, though, the system may be configured such that the subscriber may immediately purchase goods or services via the mobile unit. If so, confirmation of the purchase is provided via the Internet. In still other implementations, the subscriber may enter a purchase order through the mobile unit then, if desired, cancel the order via the Internet at a later time. Another advantage of the Internet feedback system is that the subscriber is directly linked to e-commerce sites permitting ease of purchase of the goods or services. Also, much more information may be provided to the subscriber pertaining to selected program segments than can easily be accommodated via two-way wireless transmissions to the mobile unit. Moreover, by providing text and graphic information through the Internet to a home or office computer of the subscriber, the mobile unit need not necessarily include a graphic display and hence may be less expensive and thereby more desirable for some potential subscribers. Although, in other implementations, a graphic display is provided in some mobile units to permit at least a portion of the Internet content to be browsed directly via the mobile unit.
As noted, in the exemplary implementation, the system identifies specific program content selected by the subscriber by examining the carrier frequency of the broadcast in combination with the geographical location of the mobile unit and programming information provided by the broadcasters. In the alternative, the broadcast itself includes information encoded therein identifying the program segments. If so, the mobile unit, in response to subscriber commands, generates a program attribute signal which specifically identifies the content of the program segment and also provides the identity of the subscriber or the identity of the mobile unit, such that the system need not determine the identity of the broadcaster or the program segment. Insofar as providing program information is concerned, the system may either receive information from various broadcasters for storage in dedicated databases maintained by the system or the system may merely access databases maintained by the broadcasters containing play-lists or other program information. In this regard, many broadcasters provide web pages which provide play-lists specifying the date and time of day of the various songs that have been played. The system may access those web pages to identify specific program segments selected by the subscriber. Also, in the exemplary embodiment, GPS is employed for determining the geographical location of the mobile unit. Other techniques for determining the location of the mobile unit, either precisely or approximately, may be employed. In one example, wherein a cellular communication system is employed, the location of the mobile unit is approximated based upon the location of a cellular base station receiving signals from the mobile unit. Alternatively, a regional interactive radio system may be provided for use within a particular region accessible only by broadcasters within that region. In such an implementation, the identity of the broadcaster may be determined based upon the carrier frequency of the broadcast, rather than based upon both carrier frequency and geographical location.
As can be appreciated, a wide range of embodiments are consistent with the general principles of the invention.